Contagious
by Tia-Chan18
Summary: He didn't know when she had snuck into his heart. But if there was one thing he was happy about, it was that she chose him.
1. These lingering feelings devour me

For months, he'd been pining over her. He didn't really know how long to be exact, but he felt it had been months. No other girl interested him. None of the rumours about him and Rukia being together ever phased him.

They were just **that**. Rumours.

He didn't care what other people thought. All that mattered to him was finding the courage to ask **her **out.

Inoue Orihime.

He wasn't sure when he began to develop a crush on her. Perhaps it was after coming back from soul society to retrieve Rukia. Or perhaps after the whole Hueco Mundo incident. But if there was one thing that Ichigo knew...

It was he couldn't live without her.

He didn't know if the feeling was what people called "love". But it bothered him when she wasn't at school. When she was sad, he could feel a stabbing feeling in his heart. For he never wanted to see her that way. And yet, when she was that way, he didn't know how to help her. He told himself that just being friends with her was enough. That he could handle her have a boyfriend and he could handle the time she decided to settle down with another man.

But he was just fooling himself.

Every time he saw a boy from their grade go up to her for **any **reason, he would feel intense anger. Even when he heard rumours of other guys liking her or asking her out, he would want to find out who just to knock them out.

He hated every guy that dared to approach her. But then he would hate himself for being that way.

It's not like he wanted her to be sad. He always wanted what was best for her. Even if it meant beating up every person that came within five meters of her. He was acting like a jealous boyfriend. Or that's what Tatsuki had said anyway.

He never paid attention to what she said. He didn't care what any of his friends had to say.

For the only person he cared to pay any attention to was Orihime.

He only hoped she wasn't getting annoyed with his constant attention. He wasn't even sure if she noticed. If she did, she never showed any indication of stopping it. He had started walking her home everyday, and be at her front door early in the morning.

He always enjoyed those times. For all of Orihime's attention was on him, and though he'd never admit it to anyone else, he loved hearing her talk about anything and everything. It was a routine to him.

One he enjoyed very much.

And that's why, Ichigo had finally decided on this very day.

He was going to ask Inoue Orihime out.

* * *

Hey everyone! This is my new IH story! I think it'll only be 3 chapters. It's not very long. But I will try to make the chapters longer! This is more of a prologue to what will happen :)

Please tell me what you think! And if you want, let me know what you want to see ! I appreciate the feedback!

~Tia-chan


	2. These confusing thoughts linger

_**Here's the second chapter! I'm going to try and finish this story before the weekend... If it's possible XD. With my updates being slow. But I have today off. So that's why I want to update as fast as possible C:**_

* * *

She wasn't sure how to react to this new development.

Ichigo, the man she loved, had started to devote all his time to spending time with her. She wasn't sure if she should be flattered or perhaps worried.

For, she didn't want him to always be with her. She wanted him to spend time with his other friends as well as his family. He barely saw his sisters with being a shinigami. And disappearing twice within three months would surely make them sad. Even though the first time wasn't her fault since they had to rescue Rukia, she still felt guilty.

For she was the one who finally convinced him to go in the first place.

A lot of the times, Orihime would invite Karin and Yuzu to come hang out with them. Though she'd never say it out loud, she loved hanging out with them. Both of them were very smart and kind. They were able to help her with any problems she had.

Though most of her problems had to do with their older brother.

Karin had been the one to talk to her more about Ichigo, seeing as Yuzu was just as oblivious as him in that department. She was glad that Karin was able to help her, though she was young.

But then again, who better than to talk to than a relative of the person she loves?

Sure, Tatsuki had given her lots of advice on it before. But even she was shocked at this new development. She didn't know Ichigo was devoting himself to her. While Orihime was happy that she was able to develop a closer bond with Ichigo, it also made her wary.

Was he pitying her? Did he think she couldn't protect herself from danger as well as other men?

Orihime wasn't that oblivious. She knew it upset him whenever any guy approached her. Though Chad and Renji were the only exceptions. He was even upset when Uryu would come to talk with her. And the only question she could ask herself was;

**Why**?

The only logical reason she could think of was that he had in fact felt the same way she did.

But she would always shrug that thought away. For she didn't want to wish for something that would never happen. Her heart had endured a lot of suffering over the years and if she continues to hold onto the hope she feels every time he talks to her any longer, she'd burst.

Or so she tells herself.

But she also knows that Ichigo would never lead her on like that. Surely he was just as confused about these feelings as she was. And his actions definitely didn't help the situation at all. No one had the answers. They were just as clueless as she was.

And it bothered her to no end.

"Onii-chan, what should I do?" She asked her brother's picture. "I want to believe that he feels the same way as I do. But... It's so confusing ! No one else knows why he's been acting different. Though they have all noticed. Except Renji-kun. Though I think he's always oblivious to situations like these." She said with a giggle.

Sighing, she clenched her hands tighter into fists as she sat on her knees, bowing her head in shame. She didn't want her brother to see her in this state, but she couldn't help it.

She was **really **confused.

Did he feel that it was his responsibility to look after her? Or did he just want to be with her?

No matter how many questions she asked herself, she wasn't bringing herself closer to knowing the answer. And that made her more mad.

"Well, I guess I'll just have to ask him myself. He's the only one who knows."

Hardening her resolve, she vowed she'd ask Ichigo tomorrow after school.

And with that resolve in her heart, she went to bed determined to find out why he was acting strange.

* * *

**_A/N: I'm sorry for such a short chapter again... Gah. I can never make them long. I always feel that if I make them too long, it takes away from the story. I guess I'm so used to writing short chapters because it has more emotion in them... But I promise I will work on it!_**

**_~Tia-chan_**


	3. Just a typical morning with you

Orihime work up the next morning, her resolve from last night still in her mind. She wanted to ask Ichigo what was wrong. And today, she was going to do it.

Getting ready for school, she made sure her clothes were clean, her teeth brushed, her hair combed. She checked her backpack to make sure her notes and homework were in there. Getting her shoes on, she tied them up before grabbing her lunch off the counter.

With a determined look on her face, she locked the door behind her and headed off to school.

.

.

.

Ichigo, on the other hand, woke up late. His alarm didn't go off and Rukia was far gone. He'd have to yell at her for not waking him up sooner. He ran around the house, making sure he had everything packed, not wanting to forget anything. Quickly brushing his teeth, putting his uniform on, combing his wild mane, he ran down the stairs.

Yuzu was just about to close the door when she saw Ichigo run past her.

"Wait! Ichigo! You forgot your lunch!"

"I'm sorry Yuzu! I don't have time! I'm gonna be late!"

Sighing, she shook her head before catching up with Karin, who was already ahead of her.

"Let him be Yuzu. He's just being hormonal. He's going through puberty."

"Karin! I hope he doesn't have a rotten day because of it! He seemed really upset!"

"It's his own damn fault for forgetting his lunch."

.

.

.

"Good Morning Orihime!"

Turning her head from the window, a huge smile appeared on her face as she waved. "Ohayo Tatsuki-chan!"

Grinning, she ruffled Orihime's hair which caused her to giggle. "You seem very happy this morning. Could it be that you're going to confess to a certain idiot today?"

A big blush appeared on her face as she waved nervously. "M-m-maybe~ I just don't know when yet. I want to find the right time to confess."

"Confess to who?"

Gasping, Orihime turned her head to see Rukia enter the classroom. She ran to hug her petite friend.

"Rukia!"

She laughed. "It's nice to see you too Orihime! So who were you going to confess to?"

"Uhh... W-Well..."

"She's going to confess to Ichigo today." Tatsuki said, her tone serious.

Looking from Tatsuki to Orihime, her face showed surprise. "Oh? Is that so? When do you plan on doing it Orihime?"

"She's not sure yet. She wants to find the right time."

"Oh. I see. Well, I hope it works out for you Orihime! That idiot needs a wake up call sooner or later!"

"What idiot are you talking about?"

Gasping, the three girls turned to look at the very guy they were talking about, holding the door frame as he tried to catch his breath. He had completely ran to school, only to realize two things.

One, he wasn't as late as he thought he was. And two, he forgot his lunch. So he was screwed out of eating for the day.

"Oi, what's gotten you so upset Ichigo?"

Growling, he pointed his finger at Rukia. "Someone forgot to wake me up this morning and I slept through my alarm! You have no shame you midget!"

Kicking him in the shin, she glared at him. "It's not my fault baka! I never said I'd be your personal alarm clock. Perhaps you should go to bed early instead of staying up late!"

Ichigo snarled. "Yeah? Well, if I had someone actually slaying hollows instead of me all the time, I wouldn't be disturbed in the middle of the night!"

While they were in the middle of arguing, Uryu and Chad had joined Tatsuki and Orihime.

"What are those two bickering about this early in the morning?"

"Apparently, Rukia is supposed to be his alarm clock now."

Chad grunted while Orihime just stood there speechless. "_Maybe today isn't such a good day after all."_


	4. When you're gone, my heart aches

After what happened in the morning, Orihime's confidence started to wane. She wasn't sure how much longer she could keep her feelings in, but she wasn't sure if it was the right time yet. And that was always the problem. Each time she wanted to tell Ichigo her feelings, something would interrupt the moment. Whether it was one of their friends or even a hollow, it always seemed like there was something keeping them from being together!

Noticing how sullen her friend's mood had become, Tatsuki looked over to Rukia, who like her, noticed the girl's sudden mood change. Both of them had exchanged glances, not realizing the man who was oblivious to Orihime's feelings saw the whole thing.

Suddenly, he got a weird feeling in his stomach. And he wasn't sure if it was good or bad.

"_**Tch. You're such a pansy, King."**_

"_Shut up. Why do you always have to butt in when situations don't concern you?"_

"_**Because unlike you, I'm not stupid. Why are you holding back from telling Queenie how you feel?"**_

"_What makes you think Inoue likes me to begin with? Are you trying to get my hopes up for nothing?"_

"_**I wouldn't be saying this shit if I didn't know how she felt King! Just look at her! Think back to every time we've been around her! With everyone else, she's normal. But when she's around us, she's a rambling girl who has a crush on us. The fact that you're so oblivious to this shit drives me insane."**_

"_I'm pretty sure you're already insane. Now go away! I don't want to think about this anymore. Plus I'm trying to listen to my teacher and actually graduate."_

"_**Whatever. I'll just continue to watch her then. And make you think of all the naughty things we could do to her right now."**_

Hearing his hollow cackle in laughter, he shrugged his head before resting on his hand. His gaze had subconsciously gone to the girl staring out the window. It was one thing for his friends to tease him about Orihime, but now his hollow is too? He sighed; surely there was an answer for all this madness he called his life. He always had a crush on the healer, though he can never remember when it had started.

But he didn't want to take that chance and screw up their friendship. So instead, he had sworn to protect her and make sure no other guy hit on her. The fact that his hollow showed interest in her obviously meant his feelings were real. His evil half wouldn't hit on everything that moved, nor was he ever so persistent.

The bell had rung to signal it was time for lunch. Getting up and packing his bag, he sighed.

_Finally; a place where I can relax._

_._

_._

_._

Unfortunately, to Ichigo's dismay, lunch wasn't as relaxing as he thought it was going to be. Between Keigo whining about not spending time with any of his friends, Uryu saying smart ass comments to him again, Tatsuki and Rukia agreeing with him, he couldn't get a break! The only people who weren't on his case were Orihime, Chad and Mizurio.

Come to think of it, he didn't see her anywhere.

"Where's Inoue? She's usually the first person here."

Tatsuki and Rukia blinked, their mouths were kept shut. Looking at each other before looking at him, they shrugged.

"I have no idea. She told me she was going to meet us here. She said something about staying back for a bit to talk with Ochi-sensei."

"Tch. If that's the case, don't you think she should've been here by now? Doesn't it worry you that she's not here?"

A frown formed on Tatsuki's face. Before she could reply, Rukia beat her to it. "Since when have you become the one to worry constantly, Ichigo? I understand since the Hueco Mundo incident you've been more protective of her, but don't you think you're overreacting, just a little bit? Surely, she's still in the school. I haven't sensed anything wrong with her."

Standing up, he left his lunch as he walked towards the door. "I don't trust it Rukia. I'm gonna go find her."

The slam of the door made Keigo jump, Renji lifted his head from his comic book, his eyebrow raised. "What was that about?"

Chad smiled. "Ichigo's starting to understand his feelings."

.

.

.

He knew Rukia was right. Surely, she was fine. He was keeping his attention focused on her the entire time she wasn't there. Her reiatsu was calm, happy even. He was glad the whole incident didn't do anything traumatic to her. He wasn't sure if she wanted to be near him after the whole ordeal.

But he was glad she was still beside him.

Turning the corner, he didn't realize she was heading up the stairs and he crashed into her, both of them falling onto the floor. He groaned in pain before looking down at the girl underneath him. He was glad no one was around at the time, for a huge blush covered his face.

He lost his breath when she opened her eyes; they shone a very bright grey. And he realized he could lose himself in them forever if he wanted to. Licking his lips, he avoided looking at her lips; the position they were in was tempting him very badly to do something he didn't want to do.

Scratch that, he **wanted** to do it. But he didn't want to scare her off.

"Shit… You okay…. Inoue?"

His voice made her snap out of her thoughts and she looked into his eyes; they were blazing with an unknown emotion she couldn't figure out. Not trusting her voice, she nodded her head instead, and for some reason, she couldn't take her eyes from his. It was like they were calling her. As weird as it sounded to anyone else, to her she fully understood what she was feeling.

He stood up then, dusting his pants off before offering her a hand. Sitting up, she turned her gaze to him, confusion swept across her features. Knowing he wouldn't back down, she grabbed his hand and tried so badly to ignore the electricity that coursed through her veins at the touch.

Rubbing the back of his hand, he looked away, another blush appearing on his face. "Y-You didn't show up at lunch today. I was worried and decided to go look for you."

Her eyes widened before a bright smile blinded him. "Arigato, Kurosaki-kun. I just had to talk to Ochi-sensei about the homework. Some of it didn't make sense, so I wanted to make sure I understood before trying to do it tonight."

He nodded, not trusting his voice. The bell rang at that point, signalling that lunch was over. He blew out a breath he didn't realize he was holding, before looking at the small girl. Not wanting to be late for class, he grabbed her hand and began walking. He completely ignored the girl who was currently freaking out about it.

Oh, how he wish his heart would slow down…


	5. Can't Stop This Feeling

Gah. Sometimes I punish myself too much. I hate when I leave a cliffhanger and I don't know how to pick up from it. I wish I actually plan ahead so the story doesn't go everywhere. -_- Anyways, please enjoy this chapter!

* * *

He didn't realize just how much of an effect Orihime had on him. Her heart was so pure; it made **his** appear tainted. He didn't even understand why he seemed so… _gentle_ around her. If he was around Rukia or Tatsuki, he would treat them as though they were his sisters. But with Orihime, he was always more aware of his attitude.

She never showed that she was uncomfortable around him, which made him very happy. It also gave him higher hopes because she definitely treated him differently than their other male friends. He was one of the few men she ever associated with and it made him feel so honoured. He just wished he had the guts to tell her how he felt.

He looked out his window; the sun was beginning to set. Surely, she already had dinner by now and was probably watching one of her favourite shows. Here he was on his bed, sulking about not being able to tell her. He had the perfect opportunity as well! Why did he not take that chance?

.

.

.

"_Oi, Ichigo!" _

_He looked up from his locker to see Tatsuki and a nervous Orihime in tow. He raised his eyebrow at her before closing his locker. "What's up Tatsuki?" He gave a small smile to the girl who couldn't even look at him. "Inoue."_

_Her face sported a light pink as she continued to fidget under his gaze. Rolling her eyes, Tatsuki got his attention again. "Can you walk Orihime home? Normally I'd do it myself but I have practice today. I don't trust anyone else to take her."_

_His gaze didn't leave the girl who was even more nervous now than she was earlier. He looked back at Tatsuki and nodded. "Sure. It's on the way home. I don't see why not."_

_She nodded. "Alright. Take care of her Ichigo. I'm sorry about this Hime. If I didn't have practice, I would've done it myself…"_

_Shaking her head, she looked at her friend. "It's okay Tatsuki-chan! You guys need to prepare for the tournament coming up! I don't want to get in the way of that. We can hang out some other time."_

_Noticing just how nervous she was, Tatsuki started to doubt her decision. But she also knew this would've been the perfect time for Orihime to tell Ichigo how she felt. Something had happened at lunch, though the girl denied that anything had happened. Tatsuki didn't really believe that. But she went along with Orihime to keep her happy._

"_Take care guys. See you tomorrow!"_

"_Bye-bye Tatsuki-chan!" The girl looked back at her two best friends once more, before finally heading to the dojo._

_._

_._

_._

_The silence on the walk was deafening. The only sound was of their feet as they continued on their journey home. Orihime wanted to have a conversation with Ichigo, but she wasn't sure of what. Glancing up at the shinigami beside her, she couldn't help but notice how serious he looked. 'Did he always look so handsome when he was serious?' A blush crept on her face as she couldn't help but be mesmerized by his face. _

_Sensing as though he was being watched, he looked down at the girl who had her eyes on him. 'She's so cute; staring up at me with that cute expression. Gah! Why do I keep using the word cute? Can't I think of anything else to say?"_

"_**Cause you're an idiot, King."**_

'_Shut up! Why are you talking again? Didn't we just have this conversation a few hours ago?'_

"_**I wouldn't be sayin' anythin' if you had the balls to just tell her how you feel! This is the perfect moment! You two are alone, there's no one to stop you from telling her! Just look her in the eyes and say "I like you Inoue."**_

'_Be quiet. I never asked for your advice.'_

"_**Tch. Be grateful I'm actually talking to you. I could just be like Zangetsu and stay quiet the entire time. How boring would that be?"**_

'_You insolent-'_

"_Kurosaki-kun, is something wrong?"_

_Blinking, he looked at the girl; her face sported a worried look. He didn't realize they both stopped in front of her apartment. _

"_We're here already?" 'Crap! I didn't even talk to her the entire time!'_

_She nodded. It looked as though she was able to say something before her mouth closed, a smile replacing her worried look. Before she could stop herself, she ran to him and hugged him, shocking both of them. She thought she wouldn't have enough courage to do so, but she wanted to at least thank him. _

"_Thank you for walking me home, Kurosaki-kun."_

_Not trusting his voice for the umpteenth time today, he just nodded and returned the hug, though a bit awkwardly. He had never hugged another person before, besides his family, though he never counted them. The fact that it was his crush who was hugging him only made him more nervous._

_She pulled away, both of them disappointed at the lack of warmth, before heading to her apartment._

"_Matte, Inoue!"_

_Turning her head to him, her eyes locked with his. Rubbing his head awkwardly, he looked at the ground,_

"_I'm sorry for not talking with you. I was just thinking about stuff."_

_Her eyes widened before they softened in understanding. "It's okay Kurosaki-kun. Just being with you was enough."_

_His eyes widened as she walked into her apartment, leaving him with butterflies in his stomach and a very confused brain._

_._

_._

_._

Sighing, he placed his hand on his face, blowing out a breath. His eyes opened up, the ceiling looking rather interesting to look at. He still couldn't wrap his mind around what she said.

_Just being with you was enough._

Did that really mean she reciprocated his feelings? Was this the sign he was looking for? Shaking his head, he just couldn't think about anything. Everything felt so confusing. Nothing made sense to him. The only thing that made sense to him… was **her.**

_Dammit, I'm getting nowhere just sitting here. I got to go for a walk._

Jumping out of bed, he hardened his resolve.

_I'm going to tell her. Whether she accepts me or not._


	6. Together with You

**Here's the final chapter! Sorry it took so long to update. Hopefully this will make the wait worth it C:**

**Thanks to all my readers/viewers who have taken the time to fav/review/follow this story. It's because of you that I have motivation to update! **

**Without further ado, here it is!**

* * *

Sighing, Orihime continued to flip through channels on television. There wasn't anything on that interested her and she couldn't decide on a show to stick with. With a bored expression, she settled for some game show, though she didn't pay much attention to it.

Her mind was too busy thinking of what happened earlier and how she missed her chance to tell Ichigo how she felt.

_And here I was determined to tell him today. Why did I have to back out again? I mean, the worst that could happen is he rejects me. It's not like we can't be friends. I wish I was more motivated to tell him. I wouldn't pity myself every day because of this._

Her eyes looked to her brother's picture, his happy face shining behind the glass. Resting her head in her hand, she turned her gaze from the photo, feeling intense guilt. She had all day to confess, yet she felt that nothing was accomplished and it only put her in a fouler mood.

_Tatsuki would be so ashamed of me if she saw me in this state. I shouldn't be beating myself up over this. There will be plenty of times where I can confess. She might freak that I didn't do it like I told her. Maybe I should just give up._

Standing up from her couch, she stretched her arms over her head. Her eyes flickered to the clock that sat above her t.v., the hour hand stretched towards the eight. Reaching for the remote, she clicked the power button to turn it off before the sound of knocking startled her. She tried to sense the reiatsu first, to see if it was safe to answer the door.

_That's Kurosaki-kun's reiatsu. Why would he be here this late?_

Not wanting to keep him, she quickly went to answer the door, only to be pulled out of her apartment and dragged down the stairs by said shinigami. The action had robbed all words and thoughts from her brain, so a squeak came from her mouth. She was being dragged away from her place, though she noted his grip wasn't tight.

_Probably to keep from leaving a bruise. Tatsuki would kill him if he hurt me after all._

She had never seen Ichigo act this way. Thinking back to all the times she's hung out with him, he had never shown this reaction to her. It puzzled her to no end, but more importantly, it only made her heart ache. She was really confused, and as much as she wanted Ichigo to feel the same as her, it only made her want to hide her feelings more. He'd never been this rough with her, always looking at her with gentle eyes and giving her small but awkward smiles, ones she'd never seen him give to anyone else.

So what was different?

She didn't have time to contemplate this as she smashed into his chest, his arms wrapping around her protectively and with warmth that not only made her blush, it made her sink into his embrace. He was acting so weird, weirder than how Kon acts in Ichigo's body. Paralyzed, she couldn't think of anything to say, including his name.

Realizing she wouldn't be able to get out, she returned his hug with as much emotion as him.

_God, what am I doing?_

In truth, Ichigo wasn't so sure his plan was going to work. Originally, he just wanted to take a walk around the neighbourhood; however his feet lead him to Orihime's place. The rest of his actions he didn't think through. He wasn't sure if invading her personal space was such a good idea, but he also knew that it wasn't his hollow in control either. He was fully aware of his actions and he probably scared the healer by his out of character actions.

Those thoughts fled from his mind when he felt her embrace him.

Blowing out a breath he didn't realize he was holding, he lowered his head to her shoulder, inhaling her scent, imprinting it in his memory forever. He didn't want to let her go, and it seemed as though she thought the same thing. He couldn't contain how he felt, and the only thing he could think of was to hold her tighter than before.

"A-Ano…."

He lifted his head from her shoulder to look into her eyes. A blush filled her face and it only made his heart race faster.

"Kurosaki-kun, you're hurting me…"

As though he was shocked, he pulled away from her, ignoring the cold that took place in his body. Keeping his hands in the air, as he didn't know what to do with them, he cursed.

"Shit… Sorry, Inoue. I didn't mean to.."

Covering his face with his hands, he looked away from her, not wanting to keep staring at her as though she grew two heads.

"What I mean is… I wanted to talk with you, Inoue. I didn't intend to drag you out of your apartment without your permission and I certainly didn't mean to invade your personal space…"

Blinking, she looked at him before smiling and giggling. Her eyes were wide and shining with happiness.

"It's okay, Kurosaki-kun. It must be very important if you decided to come this late at night and drag me out of my place. In truth, I wanted to talk with you too…"

And just then, both of them made up their minds.

.

.

.

_I'm going to tell her._

_._

_._

_._

_I'm going to tell him._

_._

_._

_._

"I LIKE YOU!" They both shouted in unison.

.

.

.

Both their eyes widened when they realized that they said the exact same thing.

_She likes me?_

_He likes me?  
_

They couldn't take their eyes off the other, both of them trying to read the other. Surely, they had misunderstood each other. It was Ichigo who broke the silence.

"You…. Like me?"

Turning her face away from him, deciding the sky was more interesting, she nodded. Keeping one eye closed, she looked up at him from beneath her hair, and she couldn't help but gasp as his expression.

He was _**smiling**__._

"I… I… I like I-Ichigo-kun…. A lot. The way you scowl, how you protect everyone, your kindness, your laugh, everything. I'm very proud to say that I like you."

Grabbing her hand, he murmured, "Well then, I guess I can say the same for you. I like you a lot too… Orihime. Your bubbly personality, your bright smile, how you take pride in healing others, your selflessness, **everything**. And I, too, can say I'm very proud to say that I like you."

He looked from her hand to her eyes, his heart racing in his chest, seeing her _oh-so _bright smile. The one she reserved for him and him only. Not knowing what else to say, she just giggled at his confused expression.

"Ne, it's nothing to worry about Ichigo-kun. I'm just very happy."

He nodded, turning to look at the sky, which now sparkled with tiny stars. Coughing into his hand, he lightly tugged on hers. "Well then, shall we go?"

"Un!"

Smiling at her cheerful attitude, they both began walking back towards her apartment. They still held each other's hand. But neither one seemed to care.

For the only thing they paid attention to was each other.


End file.
